Bail arrangement



June 11, 1963 c. MILLER BAIL ARRANGEMENT Filed Jan. 10, 1961 FIG! IN VEN TOR. CHARLES MILLER FIG. 5

FIG. 9

ATTORNEY Unite This invention relates in general to bail arrangements and more particularly to a bail arrangement for carrying large containers such as gallon size milk jugs.

Heretofore most bail arrangements for gallon size milk jugs have been of metal construction, which, even though plated, tend to rust and discolor the neck of the jug. Moreover, those in which the bail has full pivotability are often constructed in such a manner that for removal destruction was necessary, while those of removable nature are of more costly construction. Plastic bail arrangements heretofore proposed, on the other hand, have failed to provide full pivotability of the bail, that is capability of laying when not in use on the shoulder of the jug on either side of the neck, and have shown a tendency to breakage, particularly in cold weather.

It is accordingly a principal object of this invention to provide a bail arrangement in which the neck ring portion is unitary and non-metallic.

Another object of this invention is to provide a unitary neck ring with a pair of integrally connected bail trunmons.

Yet another object in keeping with the last-mentioned object is to provide neck trunnions capable of interchangeably receiving either a metallic or non-metallic bail.

These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent as the following description proceeds, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a milk jug embodying about its neck portion applicants bail arrangement;

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2 is a top View of the unitary neck ring;

3 is a front view of the unitary neck ring; 4 is a side view of the unitary neck ring;

5 is an elevation of a non-metallic bail;

6 is a side view of the hail of FIG. 5;

7 is a sectional view along line 77 of FIG. 5; 8 is a sectional view along line 8-8 of FIG. 5; FIG. 9 is an elevational view of a metallic bail; and

FIG. 10 is a sectional view along line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the reference numeral represents a milk jug, preferably glass and of the gallon variety, provided with a neck 16 having an annular lip 17. The mouth 18 of the jug is of equal or lesser outside diameter than the lip 17.

A continuous neck ring 20 of somewhat flexible nonmetallic material is provided with an inner surface 21 in diameter only slightly larger than the diameter of the neck 16 of the jug below the lip 17, but substantially less than the outside diameter of the lip 17. The outer surfaces 22 and 23 are preferably angularly disposed and meet at an annular apex (see FIG. 4). Connected to the neck ring, preferably integrally, and projecting outwardly therefrom diametrically opposite one another are a pair of bail trunnions 24, each terminating outwardly in a retaining button 25, also preferably integral. The buttons 25 are preferably centrally slotted at '26 for adding further flexibility.

Patent ice The neck ring 20 is so proportioned that it may be pressed over the lip 17 on the bottle by gentle and progressive urging peripherally, in much the same manner that the bead of an automobile tire is urged onto and behind the wheel rim, and will not become detached by forces applied to it simultaneously on opposite sides such as would be applied to the trunnions by a bail.

Two bails 30 (FIGS. 5-8) and 40 (FIGS. 910 are provided, the bail 30' being non-metallic and the bail 40 being metallic. These bails 30 and 40 are interchangeable on the trunnions 24 of the non-metallic neck ring 20. Both bails 30 and 40 are provided at their bifurcated ends with bearing bores 31 and 41 respectively dimensioned to have diameters .0050-.0=010" smaller than the outside diameters of the buttons 25. The resiliency of the nonmetallic neck ring material, preferably polyethylene, together with the same principle of a slight fo-rce fit over the buttons of similar or like material, in the same manner that the neck ring 20 is depressed over the bottle neck lip 17, permits the bails to be easily assembled to the trunnions 24. Further resiliency may be provided the buttons 25 by the slots 26.

The bails are provided respectively with stiffening ribs 32 and 42 along their handle portions 33 and 43. The stiffening rib 33 is preferably solid and integral as illustrated in FIG. 7 for the non-metallic bail 30, preferably also of polyethylene, whereas the metallic bail 40 is preferably of plated sheet metal and stamped with concavoconvex surfaces in the handle portions as illustrated in FIG. 10 with the convex side inside for hand comfort. The bifurcations 44 of the metallic bail may also be suitably fluted for added stillness, as may the bifurcations 34 by fluting or addition of an integral rib.

Thus it will be observed that there is provided a nonmetallic jug neck ring with a pair of integral trunnions for full swingability of a bail and integral buttons for retaining the bail. Moreover, interchangeable bails, metallic and non-metallic, are also provided to suit the desire or convenience of the dairy and the customer. The fully non-metallic unit is completely noiseless and not susceptible of corrosion. However, where a metallic bail is desired, such may be readily substituted.

Having described my invention in detail, What I claim and desire to have protected by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a container for relatively heavy quantities of fluids, such as milk, said container being provided with a neck and annular lip projecting from said neck, of a bail arrangement comprising a neck ring of resilient plastic material loosely fitting about the neck of the container below said annular lip, said neck ring being dimensioned with an internal diameter larger than the neck of said container but substantially smaller than the outside diameter of said annular lip so that due to its said internal diameter and resilient nature the neck ring is adapted to be urged peripherally and progressively over and under the lip in the manner that an automobile tire head is progressively pressed over a wheel rim, a pair of trunnions integrally connected to and extending outwardly from said neck ring, a bail rotatably mounted about said trunnions, said bail being reinforced at least in the hand engaging portion, and means including a button at the outer end of each trunnion preventing disengagement of said bail from said integrally connected trunnions, said means taking the form of bearing bores in the ends of the bail having diameters in the order of .0050 to References Cited in the file of this patent .0010 inch smaller than the onter diameter of said huttons. UNITED STATES PATENTS 2. Earl arrangement as claimed 1n claim 1, in which said bail is of rigid metal material and said reinforcement 114391588 Warner 1922 takes the form of a flute extending across the entire hand 5 2,673,115 Vrana 23, 1954 engaging portion and partially along the bifurcation of 2,738,114 Kahlall et 1 1 9 6 the bail. 2,759,756 Sikora Aug. 21, 1956 3. Bail arrangement as claimed in claim 1, in which the 2,981,562 Long Apr. 25, 1961 bail is of resilient plastic material, and said reinforcement includes an integral rib positioned along the out- 10 side of the hand engaging portion of said bail. 

1. THE COMBINATION WITH A CONTAINER FOR RELATIVELY HEAVY QUANTITIES OF FLUIDS, SUCH AS MILK, SAID CONTAINER BEING PROVIDED WITH A NECK AND ANNULAR LIP PROJECTING FROM SAID NECK, OF A BAIL ARRANGEMENT COMPRISING A NECK RING OF RESILIENT PLASTIC MATERIAL LOOSELY FITTING ABOUT THE NECK OF THE CONTAINER BELOW SAID ANNULAR LIP, SAID NECK RING BEING DIMENSIONED WITH AN INTERNAL DIAMETER LARGER THAN THE NECK OF SAID CONTAINER BUT SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER THAN THE OUTSIDE DIAMETER OF SAID ANNULAR LIP SO THAT DUE TO ITS SAID INTERNAL DIAMETER AND RESILIENT NATURE THE NECK RING IS ADAPTED TO BE URGED PERIPHERALLY AND PROGRESSIVELY OVER AND UNDER THE LIP IN THE MANNER THAT AN AUTOMOBILE TIRE BEAD IS PROGRESSIVELY PRESSED OVER A WHEEL RIM, A PAIR OF TRUNNIONS INTEGRALLY CONNECTED TO AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID NECK RING, A BAIL ROTATABLY MOUNTED ABOUT SAID TRUNNIONS, SAID BAIL BEING REINFORCED AT LEAST IN THE HAND ENGAGING PORTION, AND MEANS INCLUDING A BUTTON AT THE OUTER END OF EACH TRUNNION PREVENTING DISENGAGEMENT OF SAID BAIL FROM SAID INTEGRALLY CONNECTED TRUNNIONS, SAID MEANS TAKING THE FORM OF BEARING BORES IN THE ENDS OF THE BAIL HAVING DIAMETERS IN THE ORDER OF .0050 TO .0010 INCH SMALLER THAN THE OUTER DIAMETER OF SAID BUTTONS. 